Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Sect Leader, what is recorded in this jade slip?" Su Xiao couldn't help but ask.

Shen Mo did not answer directly, but instead turned his gaze to the skeleton and sighed softly.

"He... is the 320th generation disciple of my Qingyun Sect, his Daoist name is... Yun Chenzi."

"It was also... hundreds of years ago, a brilliant and talented senior brother who betrayed my Qingyun Sect and took away the sect's core inheritance."

What?!

Upon hearing this, Shi Tie and Su Xiao were immediately struck dumb, as if by lightning!

"Traitor...traitor?" Shi Tie stared wide-eyed at the crystal-clear white skeleton, his face filled with disbelief.

"But... but why was he wearing our Qingyun Sect's Taoist robe? And why did he die here?"

Su Xiao's brows furrowed, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion and doubt. Traitor—this word is the most despised in any sect.

But this senior before me, who has passed away here, with his remains immortal and his aura vast, doesn't seem like a vicious traitor at all.

Shen Mo's gaze returned to the jade slip in his hand, and he began to recount the contents recorded on it in a low and slow voice.

That was a secret, buried by the dust of time, concerning the rise and fall of the Qingyun Sect.

"Yun Chenzi...a genius of unparalleled talent. He has successfully established his foundation in just thirty years since entering the sect and is hailed as the disciple with the greatest potential to condense his golden core in the sect for hundreds of years."

Shen Mo's voice seemed to take everyone on a journey through time. "Back then, Qingyun Sect, though not as glorious as in ancient times, was still a dominant force. The sect had a Nascent Soul Grandmaster, several Golden Core Elders, and thousands of disciples."

Shi Tie and Su Xiao listened with great interest, finding it hard to believe that this dilapidated little hill had once been so magnificent.

"However... prosperity inevitably leads to decline." Shen Mo's tone became heavy. "A sudden change has occurred. The jade slip is vague, only mentioning a huge secret and... a storm that will sweep across the entire cultivation world."

"In order to preserve the lineage, the sect's higher-ups decided to seal off the mountain to avoid disaster and required their disciples to swear a solemn oath against their inner demons, promising never to reveal this secret to outsiders."

"But Yun Chenzi... he believed that this was a cowardly act, a futile attempt to wait for death. He advocated uniting with other forces to take the initiative, investigate the truth, and seek justice for the fallen comrades."

Shen Mo sighed, "Differences in ideology led to escalating conflicts. In the end, after a fierce argument, Yun Chenzi, in a fit of rage, stole the sect's most treasured heirlooms—the core cultivation technique of the 'Qingyun True Explanation,' the 'Zhou Tian Star Array Diagram,' and... the 'Star Cloud Pendant,' which symbolized the right to succeed the sect leader, and betrayed the sect."

"He thought that with his own abilities, he could make a name for himself outside, find out the truth, and then come back in glory to prove that he was right."

"But... he underestimated the danger of that turmoil and overestimated himself." Shen Mo's voice carried a hint of sorrow. "After wandering for a hundred years, he experienced countless pursuits and hardships. Although his cultivation level rose all the way to the late Golden Core stage, he was still unable to touch the core of the truth."

"On the contrary, he implicated many of his followers and suffered severe injuries himself, leaving him with no hope of achieving enlightenment."

"In his later years, he suddenly realized his mistake." Shen Mo's gaze fell on the cracked jade pendant. "He understood the helplessness and profound meaning behind the sect's decision to close the mountain back then. But the mistake had already been made, and he had no face to return to the sect."

"So he quietly returned to the back mountain where he had grown up since childhood, and passed away peacefully outside the cave where his ancestor had once secluded himself."

"Before he died, he left behind his experiences, his regrets, and... the copy of the core inheritance he had taken with him... as well as this shattered Nebula Pendant."

"I hope that one day, a destined disciple of the Qingyun Sect will discover this legacy and bring it back to the sect. That would be a small way for him to make amends to the sect."

After the story was told, the valley fell silent. Only the mournful sound of the wind whistling through the cliffs could be heard, as if mourning the ill-fated predecessor.

Even the burly Shi Tie had tears in his eyes, muttering, "So...that's how it is...He didn't truly want to betray the sect...He just...he just took the wrong path..."

Su Xiao's eyes were already brimming with tears. She could feel the intense regret and sorrow emanating from the jade slip.

How can one not feel regret and sigh with sorrow that such a brilliant genius met such a tragic end because of a single wrong decision?

"So..." Su Xiao raised her tearful eyes and looked at Shen Mo, asking, "Sect Leader, the real reason for the decline of our Qingyun Sect... is because we lost this core inheritance?"

"Yes, and not entirely." Shen Mo calmed himself down. "Losing the core inheritance is a fatal blow. But what's more important is probably that unknown 'storm'."

"Even sects with Nascent Soul Grandmasters need to close their mountains to avoid disaster... one can imagine how dangerous it is."

"Senior Brother Yun Chenzi's departure may have only accelerated this decline. Even if the inheritance is not lost, it is still unknown whether Qingyun Sect can remain unscathed under such circumstances."

He walked up to the skeleton and bowed deeply once again.

"Senior Brother Yun Chen, I, Shen Mo, have witnessed your legacy today. I will do my utmost to restore your teachings to the sect and live up to your dying wish! Our Qingyun Sect... will never perish!"

After saying that, he carefully put away the cracked Nebula Pendant and the jade slip containing the core inheritance.

Next to the cave, they found a place with excellent feng shui, dug a grave by hand, carefully buried Yun Chenzi's remains, and erected a simple stone tablet inscribed with: Tomb of Yun Chenzi, the 320th generation disciple of Qingyun Sect.

After doing all this, the three bowed to the grave once more before turning away with heavy hearts.